Abstract: A system for printing a document over a network including a network, a printer and a raster image processor. The network connects at least three computing resources. The printer is coupled to the network and included in the computing resources. The printer includes a printer network connection, a printer virtual connection mechanism and a mechanism for printing the document based on the raster image. The printer network connection transfers data packets to and from the computing resources. The printer virtual connection mechanism receives a raster image representative of a document from a member of the plurality of computer resources to which a unique virtual connection has been established. The raster image processor is coupled to the network and included in the computing resources. The raster image processor includes raster image processor network connection mechanism, a rendering, mechanism, and a raster image processor virtual connection mechanism.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for printing digital color images with non-impact print heads whereby fluid flowing at a relatively high velocity proximate ink emitting nozzles affects flight trajectories of undesirable satellite ink droplets incidentally emitted from the nozzles, but does not affect flight trajectories of primary droplets. In one embodiment, a single fluid deflector member oriented upstream of the print head causes fluid flow intermediate the print head and the printing surface and urges the satellites to a preferred location on the printing media. In another embodiment, at least one additional deflector member is oriented to cooperate with the deflector member to ensure that such satellites encounter a forced fluid flow intermediate the print head and print surface.

Abstract: An ink refill system is provided for an ink jet printer having a print carriage that traverses across a print medium and is adapted to receive one or more ink jet cartridges. The ink refill system includes a disposable ink jet cartridge removably mountable in the print carriage and constructed as a self-contained unit that includes a print head and an ink supply container that stores a first quantity of liquid ink at a given negative pressure hydrodynamic condition. An ink reservoir external to the print carriage stores a second quantity of ink for replenishing the first quantity of ink in the ink supply container. Flexible supply tubing couples the ink reservoir to the ink supply container to supply ink from the second quantity of ink to the first quantity of ink during operation of the ink jet printer as the print carriage traverses across the print medium.

Abstract: A network protocol, transmission format, and hardware interface facilitating high speed transmission of raster data from a host computer having a raster image processor to a printer. The protocol and hardware interface of the present invention minimize memory-to-memory transfers of raster data by defining data transfers directly from local memory of network hardware to memory associated with a raster connection management module. The transmission format of the present invention minimizes handshaking by sending a large number of data packets between acknowledgements. In addition, the present invention allows a host computer system to request printer profile information, and process raster data based on the profile information.

Abstract: An ink on demand type ink jet head energization system is provided to drive ink out of a nozzle in the head. The head contains at least one nozzle for discharging ink. The power applied to the nozzle is modified to include a noise component. By providing a driving voltage which varies between firings, the head produces ink droplets which differ in size between firings. Preferably, the voltage is randomly or pseudo-randomly varied over a range of from 50 to 100% of maximum voltage, and a new voltage is provided for each successive firing of the head. This variation of drive voltage produces ink dots which randomly vary in size at a rate too dense to be perceived by a viewer, and successfully reduces perceived artifacts in the printed output.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the a method usable in the field of printing, and in particular to a method of characterizing a drum-based digital print engine so that each of a plurality of ink droplets propelled toward a common picture element location, or pixel, of a print media coupled to an exterior surface of a rotating drum member precisely reaches the same pixel location irregardless of slight variations in portions of the surface of the drum. In a preferred embodiment, a drum based printing system contains eight print heads mounted on an axially driven carriage assembly and arranged in two rows of four such that no two print heads prints upon a common print swath at any given time, and each row of print heads is further oriented rotationally around a portion of the circumference of the drum member.

Abstract: An ink refill system is provided for an ink jet printer having a print carriage that traverses across a print medium and is adapted to receive one or more ink jet cartridges. The ink refill system includes a disposable ink jet cartridge removably mountable in the print carriage and constructed as a selfcontained unit that includes a print head and an ink supply container that stores a first quantity of liquid ink at a given sub-atmospheric pressure hydrodynamic condition. An ink reservoir external to the print carriage stores a second quantity of ink for replenishing the first quantity of ink in the ink supply container. Flexible supply tubing couples the ink reservoir to the ink supply container to supply ink from the second quantity of ink to the first quantity of ink during operation of the ink jet printer as the print carriage traverses across the print medium.

Abstract: A method of printing an image on a substrate with an ink jet printer, the method including the step of ejecting a plurality of discrete portions of ink from the ink jet printer toward the substrate, the ink including at least three different inks with each ink of each different pair of inks containing either different dyes or different concentrations of the same dye, and the step of sequentially forming a plurality of layers of ink dots on the substrate using the discrete portions of ink, with adjacent layers having overlapping ink dots formed of different inks, the plurality of layers of ink dots constituting the image, and the image fully covering all portions of the substrate beneath the image.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an imaging drum for use in applying ink to the imaging drum as the drum rotates. The present method possesses utility in that previously unsuitable low cost materials for use in creating an imaging drum characterized by rigorous specification and tolerance requirements adequately perform when manufactured in accordance with the present method. The present method finds use in the digital printing and imaging industry where successful repeatable and accurate printing requires precise knowledge of the characteristics of the print engine mechanical motion and printing materials which include printing media (e.g., paper, vinyl, film, wax or other thermally imaged substrates that typically include emulsion coatings thereon) to promote consistent interaction with printing media marking materials such as ink, toner, or various printing ribbon resin-based compounds, etc.

Abstract: A printer controller for an ink jet printer controls a print head to selectively print only a portion of the print dots at pixels locations in a print swath during each pass of a print carriage across a print medium. At least four passes are made before the print medium is advanced to a new print swath. The portion of the pixel locations for each pass are chosen such that no pixel location to be printed on that pass is orthogonally or diagonally adjacent to any other pixel location to be printed in the same pass. To improve linear print speed, the print carriage is moved across the print medium at a speed that is greater than a maximum firing rate for the print head divided by a print dot density for the ink jet printer.

Abstract: A continuous ink refill system for an ink jet printer that uses disposable ink jet cartridges having a first predetermined ink capacity includes an ink reservoir that is external to a print carriage on which the disposable ink jet cartridges are mounted. The ink reservoir contains a second predetermined ink capacity that continuously refills an ink container within the disposable ink jet cartridge by a passive pressure differential between the disposable ink jet cartridge and the ink reservoir. The disposable ink jet cartridge is removably mountable in the print carriage and is a self-contained unit having a print head and an ink supply container maintained at a negative pressure that supplies the first quantity of ink to the print head. The ink reservoir storing the second quantity of ink that replenishes the ink supply container is limited to some multiple of the first quantity of ink above which said print head does not reliably operate.